ViewGuide

Created Aug 11, 2018 12:00AM PST • Edited Aug 17, 2018 11:48PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Fallout continues Tom Cruise’s ongoing Mission: Impossible to deliver spectacularly entertaining blockbuster entertainment in the face of spectacularly lofty blockbuster expectations. Notwithstanding 56 years on God’s green earth, King Cruise is potent as ever in his sixth turn as super spy Ethan Hunt.

   Fallout is more than just a chronological Mission: Impossible sequel, it actually continues the story from M:I5 – Rogue Nation, the best Mission: Impossible ever. While MI:6 doesn’t uphold that standard, not even close actually, that’s quite OK. Mission: Impossible – Fallout is a rousing good time on its own.

   Cruise’s contract writer-director – Christopher McQuarrie – once again uses Lalo Schifrin’s Theme from Mission: Impossible, a latex mask or two and a totally classic “Your mission, if you choose to accept it” ultimatum, the greatest endowment from a TV series to a movie ever. Half a billion in box office later…

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   OK, let’s call this thing. Tom Cruise is now the greatest blockbuster moviestar of all time, rivaled only by Denzel Washington in terms of longevity and blockbuster range. As for his sixth turn as Ethan Hunt, he’s been better, but only by his own extreme standards. My commentary about him in M:I5 still holds, ageless.

   • Sean Harris deserves special notice for a perfect performance as the ultimate villain, the most essential role in an action movie. Returning him from M:I5 was a masterstroke.
   • Henry Cavill works well as a near cyborgian CIA operative.
   • Ving Rhames’ Luther gets more lines this time, always a good thing for such a charismatic actor.
   • Simon Pegg’s Benji only gets one good quip. It works well even though we saw it in the trailer.
   • Rebecca Ferguson impresses less than in M:I5.
   • Angela Bassett underwhelms as the new Director of the CIA.
   • Michelle Monaghan is wistful but largely wasted as Cruise/Hunt’s former wife.
   • Alec Baldwin nails it once again as the former CIA Director who became the new IMF Secretary.
   • Vanessa Kirby underwhelms as the evocatively named White Widow.
   • Frederick Schmidt is hardly unforgettable as her brother and primary enforcer.
   • Wes Bentley cameos as Cruise’s ex’s next husband.

5. Male Stars Really Great 4.5

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Good 3.0

8. Male Costars Perfect 5.0

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    Hundreds of stuntmen, countless FX professionals and one mighty athletic leading man yield a state-of-the-art action flick. Working with Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie has vaulted himself into the ranks of all-time great blockbuster writer-directors, with M:I6 following the series-best M:I5, which came on the heels of the perfect Edge of Tomorrow. These guys have the makings of a beautiful friendship.

11. Direction Great 4.0

12. Play Good 3.0

13. Music Great 4.0

14. Visuals Really Great 4.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.4

17. Sex Titillating 1.6

18. Violence Brutal 3.5

19. Rudeness Salty 2.0

21. Reality

    Supernatural 3.2

    M:I6 is a prime example of a Jonesian hyper-reality action movie, as was M:I5 and most of their predecessors.

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.5

23. Biological Supernatural 4.0

24. Physical Supernatural 3.1